This document relates to exercise and physical therapy, and particularly to aquatic-based exercise and therapy.
Aquatic physical exercise has been found to be one of the best forms of exercise. Water supports an individual's body and alleviates most of the effects of gravity allowing the individual to exercise prescribed specific muscle groups without stressing other areas of the body. The reduced physical strain on these other area allows the individual to exercise for longer periods of time. The individual is also able to exercise longer due to a lower and more stabilized body temperature resulting from contact with the water. Strain on the heart, muscles and ligaments is minimized while the benefits of physical activity are maximized.
Accordingly, aquatics-based exercise is gaining in popularity, while aquatics-based physical therapy is becoming more preferred in the treatment of the elderly, the obese, and the infirm. There is a huge demand for an exercise modality which provides long-term health benefits and which can exist in the favorable environment of lower stress and freer movement. Conventional aquatic exercise devices and methods, however, are limited in several ways. For example, conventional devices do not offer uniform directional or rotational resistance when moved through the water. As a result, the devices feel awkward and unstable to the user. Further, conventional devices do not provide the appropriate resistance for exercises designed to develop muscles.